NIH Record - National Institutes of Health

President Visits NIH Pharmacy, Discusses Efforts to Reduce Prescription Drug Prices

Closer view of Biden at podium. Also in frame is Bertagnolli and three other people.
President Joe Biden stopped by a pharmacy at the Clinical Center on Dec. 14 to discuss his administration’s efforts to reduce the costs of prescription drugs. NIH Director Dr. Monica Bertagnolli (l) and several NIH pharmacists and leaders accompanied the President during his brief visit. He also addressed the media.

Photo:  Chia-Chi Charlie Chang

President Joe Biden visited a pharmacy at NIH’s Clinical Center on Dec. 14 to discuss efforts to reduce the costs of prescription drugs.

“We’re here at a pharmacy today at the National Institutes of Health to talk about my administration’s work to crack down on price-gouging, to lower prescription drug costs, to put money back in the pockets of hardworking families and to reduce government spending on prescription drugs at the same time,” Biden said, flanked by NIH leaders and pharmacists.

The president discussed the inflation reduction legislation he signed as well as other initiatives to urge Big Pharma to lower the prices they charge for drugs developed using federal research funds. 

“We’re going to keep fighting to lower prescription drug costs—not just for seniors, but for everyone—to expand health care coverage, to keep building an economy from the bottom up,” Biden concluded. “Our health care is a right, not a privilege and patients come before profits. I know we can do this.

 “...In this area, we’re not only working to cut costs for people needing the drugs, [but also] are cutting the cost for the average taxpayer, so they don’t have to pay as much to fund Medicare. This is a doubleheader to save the taxpayer money.” 

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President Biden gesturing from a podium with the presidential seal. Behind him are several men and women standing in a pharmacy room with shelves of medicines visible.
On hand for Biden’s visit are (front row, from l): Dr. Sadhana Jackson, head, Developmental Therapeutics and Pharmacology, Surgical Neurology Branch, NINDS; Dr. James Gilman, CEO of the Clinical Center; Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, director of NIH; David Mitchell, president and CEO of Patients for Affordable Drugs. Back row (from l): Capt. Richard DeCederfelt, acting chief, CC pharmacy department; Cdr. Fortin Georges, section chief, pharmaceutical procurement; Dr. Marilyn Farinre, chief of pharmacy operations; Dr. Nadia Guirguis, section chief, outpatient pharmacy; and Christina Martin, section chief, intravenous admixture unit (IV room).

Photo:  Chia-Chi Charlie Chang

The NIH Record

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